In a powerful demonstration of the saying “your network is your net worth,” Professor Nokuthula Sibiya, the Vice Chancellor and Principal of Mangosuthu University of Technology (MUT), recently met with a remarkable global organisation: the Committee for Solidarity for South Africa (COSAS), based in San Francisco, USA. This strategic engagement is already laying the foundation for impactful partnerships to benefit MUT, its surrounding communities, and the broader South African society.
COSAS is a respected international NGO dedicated to building solidarity between the people of South Africa and the United States. COSAS’s mission is simple yet profound: to mobilise resources, knowledge, and relationships to support education and community development in South Africa. For MUT, this meeting came at an opportune moment as the Institution sharpens its focus on internationalisation and growing its communities through the University’s Anchor Strategy.
During the meeting, COSAS extended a warm and enthusiastic hand of partnership, offering to connect MUT with their extensive network of supporters and donors across the U.S. More than that, COSAS expressed a strong desire to support projects that align with the Vice-Chancellor and Principal’s vision of empowering local communities alongside the University’s growth. As MUT continues to rise in academic stature and innovation, the Vice-Chancellor and Principal remains committed to ensuring that no community is left behind—a philosophy deeply shared by COSAS.
One immediate opportunity for collaboration emerged through the COSAS Solidarity Shipment, a humanitarian project to deliver school supplies to under-resourced schools and community organisations in South Africa. COSAS has 387 boxes of educational materials ready to be shipped and is looking for a South African non-profit or institution with an active importer’s code to receive the shipment. “This not only opens the door for MUT to support educational development in surrounding communities, but also positions the University as a key conduit for international goodwill and grassroots impact,” said Professor Sibiya, adding that the partnership “is even more inspiring because it reflects MUT’s growing global footprint”.
As the Vice-Chancellor and Principal leverages international networks to attract funding, resources, and new ideas, she also strengthens MUT’s role as a transformative agent in KwaZulu-Natal and beyond. “We are not only building an Institution of higher learning; we are building a community of progress, dignity, and opportunity,” said Professor Sibiya.
The meeting with COSAS is just the beginning of what promises to be a fruitful and values-driven collaboration. With shared goals, aligned missions, and mutual respect, COSAS and MUT are poised to bridge continents in the name of solidarity, education, and transformation.
“As this partnership grows, it will remind the MUT community that relationships matter and that our collective net worth is found in the strength of our networks,” said Professor Sibiya.